Automatic stop device for elevators



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H; R. SMITH. AUTOMATIC STO?- DEYIGEf-QR ELEVATORS- .Na 534,701. 4Patented Feb. 26. 1895.

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H. R. SMITH. AUTOMATIC STOP- DEVIGE PORBLEVATORS. Y Y No. 534,701.Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

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H rR. SMITH. AUTOMATIC STOP DEVICE FOR ELEYATORS. N QLT534J01.

Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

vm l@ f/ w W 7 Y YV C ,m f2 J o@ a M m f f /S Hlfh J` 4k @nu /w UnirrnnSterns nrnN'r @wrong HUMPHREY a. SMITH, or oHIcAGo, ILLINOIS.

VAUTOMATIC STOP DEVICE FR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,701, dated February26, 1895.

l Application filed September 27, 1894. Serial No. 524,2701 (No model.)

To all whom; t may concern:

Beit known that I, HUMPHREY R. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic Stop Device for Elevators, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydraulic elevator apparatus, and is designedas an improvement upon the construction set forth and claimed in apatent heretofore granted me, No. 523,242, dated July 17, 1894.

"I have found that in the order of the construction set forth in myprior patent satisfactory results are not accomplished unless the pistonin the main cylinder moves each time to the extreme limits of itstravel; that is to say, if the elevator car is called upon to go only tothe first, or the second, or any intermediate floor from the bottomtoward the top, and then return to the bottom floor without completingthe trip, the automatic stop device set forth in my prior patent failsto effect a satisfactory cushion to automatically stop the elevator.

In the present construction I have devised an apparatus wherein theabove noted defect is removed, and wherein the main operating piston iscushioned upon approaching the limit of its travel, whether it makes acomplete stroke or not.

The invention consists substantially in the details of construction,location and relative arrangement of parts, as will be more fullyhereinafter described, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and,finally, pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had tothe accompanying drawings and to the several viewsand reference signs appearing thereon, and wherein- Figure 1 is a viewpartly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, parts beingbroken away, of an apparatus embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is avertical central, sectional view of the same on an enlarged scale, taken'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section,taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical central sectionalview, partly in side elevation, taken on the line 4-4,.Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa sectional detail view of the auxiliary piston and spring supports,taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig.

6 is a sectional View, taken on the line iv-6, Fig. 3, showing theapertures in the sleeve registering with the passages communicating withthe auxiliary cylinder.

The same reference signs are used to designate the same parts whereverthey occur throughout the several views.

In'the drawings reference sign 6 designates 6o a fluid motor cylinder,vin which piston 7 is adapted to travel, being propelled by any suitablefluid in the usual manner, and any suitably arranged inlet and exhaustports being provided for, admitting and exhausting the operating fluidto and from the cylinder. Piston rods 8 are suitably bolted orotherwisesecured to piston 7 and are arranged to pass through suitable stuffingboxes ina cylinder head, and carry upon their upper ends a cross 7o bar9, arranged to support the cable-operating sheave l0, in the ordinarymanner.

Mounted upon the head of the main cylinder 6, or, and preferably, casttherewith, is a casting 11, having suitable cylindrical chambers12,tormed therein, and also having suitable passage ways 13, to permitfree passage therethrough of the piston rods 8, as shown. (See Figs. 3and 4). Said casting 11, is also provided with an enlarged extension,14, having So a cylindrical chamber 15, formed therein, eX- tendingparallelr with the cylindrical chambers 12, and communicating with saidchambers 12 through a series of passages 16. (See Figs. 3 and 6.) Insaid cylindrical chamber 15 85 is adapted to be received a tube orlining 17, provided lwith a series ot apertures 18, corresponding innumber to and adapted to register with the passages 16, communicatingwith cylindrical chambers 12. Tube 17 is 9o preferably made in sections,as shown (see Fig. 4), one section ot the length adapted to control theopenings throughout one-half of the length of cylindrical chambers 12,andthe other of said sections adapted to control the openings throughoutthe other halt of the length of said cylindrical chambers. Provision ismade for rotarily adjusting the tubular sections 17, whereby-the areaot' opening otV passages 16 may be adj usted and controlled. A Icosimple and convenient method of effecting this rotary adjustment of saidsection 17 is shown in the drawings, wherein a lug or projection 19, isbrazed upon each section of tube 17,

adapted to be engaged by set screws or bolts, 20, suitably seated in thejaws of the enlargement 14. The purposes of this construction willpresently appear more fully. The enlargement let is preferablyopen-sided, as shown, and a cover, 21, is provided to admit of ready andeasy access to the tubular sections 17.

In each cylindrical chamber 12 is arranged a piston 22, each having apiston rod, 23, 24E, 25, 26, projecting in opposite directions therefromand through suitable stuffing boxes, as shown. The ends of each pair ofprojecting piston rods 23, 25, 24, 26, are joined by a crossbar, 27-28.

From the above construction it will be apparent that one pair ofprojecting rods, as for instance, 2-.t-2t, will project into the mainoperating cylinder 6.

In the practical operation of my invention the best results are obtainedwhere provision is made for maintaining pistons 22 normally in aposition midway the length of cylinders 12, and arranged to be operatedin order to cushion the main operating piston 7 at the eXtreme upper orlower limit of its travel, whether a complete stroke is made or not. Toaccomplish this result it is important that provision be made forreturning the pistons 22 to their normal position after they areactuated to effect the cushioning action. I will now describe theconstruction andl arrangement whereby this result is accomplished. Castupon or suitably secured to casting 11, and on opposite sides thereof,are lugs 29, each provided with a suitable perforation therethrough,adapted to receive loosely therein a bolt 30, having` a nut 31, upon theend thereof. Rigidly secured at the opposite end thereof is a followerplate 32. A clevis or U shaped bracket 33, isprovided throughaperforation 34C in which loosely passes said bolt 30. Follower-plate 32is provided with perforations, through which the arms of the clevis orU- shaped frame 33 are adapted to pass loosely. The extending ends ofcross head 27 are perforated and adapted to receive the ends of arms ofclevis or bracket 33 loosely therethrough, nuts 35 serving to supportsaid bracket therein. A spring 36, is mounted 'upon bolt 30, and isarranged to bear at one end against follower plate 32, and at theopposite end against the central portion of the U-shaped frame orbracket 33.

Piston rods 8 are provided with spring supported cross-bars, 37-38,similar to the construction more specifically shown and described in myformer patent above referred to, similarly arranged, and for a similarpurpose, namely, to engage respectively crossheads 27, 28, attached torods 23, 24, 25, 26,in order to effect a movement of piston 22 inchambers 12.

1f desired, the passages, 16, opening communication between cylinders 12and the chamber 15, may be formed of decreasing area from a point midwaythe length of the cylinders to the ends thereof.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Suppose the piston 7 to betraveling toward the upper end of the cylinder 6, as shown in Figs. 1,2, and fi, the lower crossbar 37 engages cross head 28, thus moving thepistons 22 from their normal position midway the length of theircylinders 12, toward the upper ends of said cylinders. By reason of thedecreasing area of the connections or passages 16, the fluid containedin cylinders 12 is forced out of the upper portions of said cylindersagainst continually increasing resistance through passages 16, throughthe apertures in the upper sections of tubes 17-into chamber 15 andthence through the aperture in the lower section of tube 17, throughpassages 16 into the lower part of cylinders 12, thus effecting acushioning of the piston 7 when it reaches the limit of its stroke. Thesame action causes through cross head 27 an elevation of U-shaped frame33, and consequently a compression of spring 36 between the centralportion of said U-shaped frame and the follower plate 32 which ismaintained rigidly with respect to bolt 30. The compression of thisspring tends to return pistons 22 to their normal position when pressureis relieved upon cross head 28 by piston 7 moving in an oppositedirection to that just described. A similar action takes place whenupper cross bar 37 carried by pistonrods 8 is caused to engage and movecross-head 27, that is when piston 7 is caused to travel toward theopposite end of its cylinder 6. Follower plates 32 being engaged by therespective ends of said cross head 27 are moved in a direction tocompress springs 36 between said plate and the central portion ofU-shaped bracket 33, which, in turn, takes bearing upon lugs 29, theperforations in the follower plate 32 and cross head 27 permitting thearms of U-shaped frame to pass loosely therethrough during the movementjust described, and a similar construction of the perforations in thecentral part of the U-shaped frame 33 and the lugs 29 permitting bolt 30to operate in the same manner with respect to these parts. By suitablymanipulating the half-sections of tubes 17 the area of opening throughpiston 16 may be regulated, and hence the resistance with which thefluid contained in cylinders 12 is forced out of said cylinders IIO maybe regulated for each end of said cylinder independently. This is animportant feature of my invention, because in practice it may be, andoften is desirable to provide a greater degree of cushioning fortheoperating or main piston 7 at one end of the stroke thereof than at theother, and I provide an exceedingly simple and efficient apparatus foraccomplishing this desired result.

The auxiliary cylinders 12 are designed to receive a supply of anysuitable fluid. I have found that glycerine answers the purpose in asatisfactory manner, the tluid being supplied to the auxiliary cylindersl2 from any suitable source and in any suitable manner, the main ideabeing the displacement against increasing resistance of the liuidcontained in said auxiliary cylinders from one end thereof to the otherthrough the passages and openings as described, whereby the travel ofthe main piston 7 is arrested easily and without imparting jar to theelevator car.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to one end of amotor cylinder, it is obvious that it is clearly applicable to eitherend thereof, and when applied to-the other endof the motor cylinder thesame action takes place as has been herein described.V

Many changes and modifications in the details of construction andarrangement of parts would readily suggest themselves to persons skilledin the art. I do not desire to be limited, therefore, to the exactdetails and construction shown and described; but,

Having now fully described a construction embodying my invention andhaving explained the principle thereof and a mode of its operation, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder, and piston, an auxiliarycylinder adapted to receive a fluid, an independent piston therein,means for maintaining said piston normally midway the length of saidauxiliary cylinder, and means, operated by the movement of the mainpiston for operating said independent piston, whereby the mot-ion of themain piston is arrested at its limits of stroke; as and for the purposeset forth.

2. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliarycylinder adapted to receive a fluid, an independent piston arrangedtherein adapted to displace said fluid against a gradually increasingresistance, as it approaches the limits of its travel, means formaintaining said independent piston midway the length of said auxiliarycylinder, and means operated by the main piston for moving saidindependent piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an elevatorapparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliarycylinder adapted to receive a supply of Huid, a piston arranged in saidauxiliary-cylinder, means for maintaining said piston yieldingly, midwaythe length of said auxiliary cylinder, and means, operated by the mainpiston, for moving the piston in the auxiliary cylinder, out of itsnormal position; as and for the purpose Set forth.

4. In an elevator apparatus, amain cylinder and piston, an-auxiliarycylinder, adapted to receive a Huid, a piston arranged in said auxiliarycylinder, normally maintained midway the length thereof, passagescommunicating with said auxiliary cylinder on opposite sides of saidpiston, means for controlling the area of said passages, and means foractuating said piston at the limits of stroke of said main piston; asand for the purpose set forth.

5. In an elevator apparatus and in combination with a main cylinder andpiston an auxiliary cylinder and piston, a chamber, openings betweensaid auxiliary cylinder and said chamber, and means for varying the areaof said openings; as and' for the purpose set forth. Y

6. In an elevator apparatus and in combination with a main cylinder andpiston, an auxiliary cylinder, a piston therein normally maintained'midway the length thereof, a chamber, openings between said chamber andeach end of said auxiliary cylinder, means for independently adjustingAthe area of said openings at the respective ends of said cylinder, andmeans for actuating the piston in said auxiliary cylinder at the limitof stroke of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an elevator apparatus and in combi` nation with a main cylinderand piston, a casting arranged adjacent to the head of said cylinderprovided with an auxiliary cylinder and chamber, a piston arranged insaid auxiliary v cylinder and yieldingly maintained midway the lengththereof, passages opening communication between said chamber and saidauxiliary cylinder,alining arrangedin said chamber provided withapertures adapted to register with said passages, means'for adjustingsaid lining whereby the area of opening of said passages may be varied,and means for actuating the piston in said auxiliary'cylinder at thelimits of stroke of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, a castingarranged adjacent to the head of said cylinder provided with anauxiliary cylinder and a chamber, a piston arranged in said auxiliarycylinder and yieldingly supported midway the length thereof, passagesopening from said auxiliary cylinder into said chamber, a tubular liningarranged in said chamber and provided with apertures arranged toregister with said openings, means for rotarily adjusting said sleeve,and means for actuating said piston in the auxiliary cylinder at thelimits of stroke of the main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, a castingarranged adjacent t0 the head ot' said cylinder provided with anauxiliary cylinder and a chamber, `a piston arranged in said auxiliarycylinder to be yieldingly supported midway the length thereof, passagesbetween said chamber and each end of said cylinder, a sectional liningprovided with apertures adapted to register with the passages at eachend of said auxiliary cylinder, means for adjusting each section of saidlining independently, and means for actuating the piston in saidauxiliary cylinder from ICO said main piston; asl and for the purposeset forth.

10. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, a castingarranged adjacent to the head of said cylinder provided with auxiliarycylinders and a chamber, independent pistons arranged in each of saidauxillary cylinders and normally maintained midway the length thereof,passages between said .chamber and each end of said auxiliary cylinders,a sectional lining mounted in said chamber and provided with aperturesadapted to register with said passages, means for ad- Justing saidsections whereby the area of opening of said passages may be varied, andmeans operated by the main piston for actuating said auxiliary pistons;as and for the purpose set forth.

' ll. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliarycylinder adapted to receive a permanent supply of fluid, passagesopening communication between the ends of said auxiliary cylinder, apiston arranged in said auxiliary cylinder, means foryieldinglysupporting said piston midway the length of said cylinder,comprising springs, means for compressing said springs when saidauxiliary piston is moved in either direction from its normal position,and means operated by the main piston for moving said auxiliary piston;as and for the purpose set forth.

' l2. In an elevator apparatus,a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliarycylinder adapted to receive a fluid, a piston arranged therein, a pistonrod projecting therefrom, a cross head carried thereby, a lug formed onsaid auxiliary cylinder, a spring interposed between said lug and crosshead and means op.-

erated by the main piston for moving said 4o cross head; as and for thepurpose set forth.

13. In an elevator apparatus,a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliarycylinder having a perforated lug, a piston mounted in said auxiliarycylinder, a piston rod therefor, a cross head carried by said rod, amovable piece arranged to pass loosely through the perforation in saidlug, and having a follower plate rigidly attached thereto, a bracketloosely carried by said cross head, a spring 5o interposed between saidbracket and follower plate, and means for actuating the auxiliary pistonby the movement of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliarycylinder having a perforated lug, a piston mounted in said auxiliary'cylinder, rods projecting therefrom in opposite directions, cross headscarried by each of said rods, one of said cross heads 6o provided withkperforations, a bolt loosely mounted in the perforation in said lug, afollower plate rigidly secured thereto, a U- shaped frame, having itslegs arranged to pass loosely through the perforations in said crosshead, and also perforated for the pas` sage loosely therethrough of saidbolt, a spring mounted upon said bolt and interposed between saidfollower plate and said U-shaped frame, and means operated by the mainpis- 7o ton for moving said cross heads; as and for the purpose setforth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day ofSeptember, 1894.

HUMPHREY R. SMITH. In presence of- M. I; CAvANAGH, S. E. DARBY.

